An already bloody border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia spiralled further on Saturday, as the Thai navy mobilised gunboats and both governments exchanged blame for a conflict that has left dozens dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.
Gunboats patrolled the coastline of Trat – a province bordering Cambodia – after Thai officials accused Cambodian forces of crossing into their territory early on Saturday.
The new naval deployments reflect a deepening of hostilities after three days of violence that have seen Cambodian rocket attacks kill Thai civilians and Thailand’s military employ cluster munitions, artillery fire and F-16 fighter jets.
The crisis erupted on Thursday, when a long-simmering border dispute boiled over. Troops exchanged fire and Cambodia unleashed barrages of Russian-made rockets into rural Thailand, killing civilians in their homes and striking civilian infrastructure, including a petrol station and a hospital.
Both governments have sought to seize control of the narrative, blaming the other for the outbreak of violence and the targeting of civilians, while simultaneously urging the international community to pressure their rival to step back from the brink.
